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Just over a year ago, lawmakers displayed a rare show of bipartisanship when they grilled Shou Chew, TikTok’s chief executive, about the video app’s ties to China. Their harsh questioning suggested that Washington was gearing up to force the company to sever ties with its Chinese owner — or even ban the app. But behind the scenes, a tiny group of lawmakers began plotting a secretive effort that culminated on Tuesday, when the Senate passed a bill that forces TikTok to be sold by its Chinese owner, ByteDance, or risk getting banned. For nearly a year, lawmakers and some of their aides worked to write a version of the bill, concealing their efforts to avoid setting off TikTok’s lobbying might. To bulletproof the bill from expected legal challenges and persuade uncertain lawmakers, the group worked with the Justice Department and White House.

Persons: Shou, Little, TikTok Organizations: Senate, Justice Department, White Locations: China, Washington, United States

☆ A Deadly Dog Attack Upends an Elite Westchester Farm
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Christopher Maag | Daniel E. Slotnik | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

On a cool, windy day in February, two big white dogs escaped from a well-known nonprofit farm in Westchester County and ended up on a public footpath deep in a New York State park. They encountered a 10-pound miniature poodle on a leash. The larger dogs attacked, killing the poodle and then severely injuring its owner. Acting on the recommendations of state law, a local judge ordered the dogs to be euthanized. The farm, Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, which is connected to Blue Hill at Stone Barns, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Pocantico Hills, filed an appeal on Thursday to stay the dogs’ euthanization.

Persons: Yong Ging Qian Organizations: Stone Barns, Food, Agriculture, Michelin, Mount Pleasant Justice Court Locations: Westchester County, New York State, Stone, Pocantico Hills, Mount Pleasant

☆ Opinion: The problem with Beyoncé’s ‘Jolene’
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Opinion Holly Thomas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

It’s hardly my place to conclude how much of Beyoncé’s riff on “Jolene” is autobiographical, but I think we can safely assume she wants us to guess. That approach applies perfectly to country music (though she insists “Cowboy Carter” is “a ‘Beyoncé’ album,” not a country album). In “Daughter,” the track that follows “Jolene” on “Cowboy Carter,” Beyoncé continues on the theme of adultery. Whether or not Beyoncé’s “Jolene” has anything to do with her real life — or anyone’s — I think it’s a mistake to see it as a departure from Parton’s version. For someone cycling through the stages of post-cheating grief, Beyoncé’s “Jolene” reads like the “anger” prequel to Dolly’s “bargaining” “Jolene.” As listeners, the point isn’t to imitate either of them, or to know the roots of every phrase.

Persons: Holly Thomas, Katie Couric, CNN —, Holly Thomas Holly Thomas, Beyoncé’s, Dolly Parton’s, Jolene, ”, Cowboy Carter, Jolene — she’s, Parton, “, Beyoncé, don’t, ” Beyoncé, Azealia Banks, Jay, I’m, Tina, Jolene ”, Cowboy Carter ”, Dolly, Becky, Z, She’s, Becky ”, coos Organizations: Katie Couric Media, CNN Locations: London, Houston, Louisiana

☆ An unusual twist during US Army training had noncombatants posting photos and videos to Fakebook for the enemy to see: report
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Data from civilian devices — like a photo or video of a soldier's position — could be equally dangerous and reveal important information to the enemy. Throughout the Ukraine war, civilians have regularly recorded and relayed enemy troop movements. Individuals tasked with portraying civilians took photos and videos of soldiers' locations and their equipment in a recent drill. The imagery was then uploaded to a fake social media site called Fakebook, and troops role-playing as the enemy used the data to stage attacks, the Post reported.

Persons: —, Viktor Fridshon, Curtis Taylor, Taylor, Insider's Sinéad Baker Organizations: Service, Business, Washington Post, Army, Getty Images Army, Post Locations: Russia, Ukraine, China, California, Soledar, Donetsk Oblast, Baltic

☆ Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announces Senate bid
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Edward-Isaac Dovere | Veronica Stracqualursi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Larry Hogan announced Friday that he is running for US Senate this year, providing Republicans with a strong candidate in their bid to flip a seat in a deep-blue state. It’s what I did as Maryland’s governor, and it’s exactly how I’ll serve Maryland in the Senate. “I would pay a significant amount for a ticket to watch Chuck Schumer’s face right now,” Josh Holmes, the top political adviser to Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, posted on X. Though he was personally popular during his two terms as governor, the state Republican Party has veered very much toward Trump. In recent decades, Maryland has been dominated by the Democratic Party at the state and federal levels.

Persons: Larry Hogan, United States Senate –, I’ll, Let’s, ” Hogan, Hogan, ”, Donald Trump, “, Chuck Schumer’s, Josh Holmes, Mitch McConnell, McConnell, Sen, Chris Van Hollen, West Virginia Democratic Sen, Joe Manchin, nixed, Trump, Hogan’s, Angela Alsobrooks, David Trone —, Ben Cardin, MAGA, “ Hogan, Martha McKenna, Maeve Coyle, George H.W, Bush, Shania Shelton Organizations: Washington CNN — Former Maryland Gov, US, United States Senate, Maryland, Republicans, Republican, West Virginia Democratic, CBS News, CNN, Prince, Maryland hasn’t, Senate, Democratic, GOP, Republican Party, Trump, Democratic Party, Old Locations: “, Maryland, Washington, eyeing, Prince George’s, ” Baltimore, State, Baltimore

☆ No, this isn't Biden's 'Comey moment' — at least not yet
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Some Democrats are fearful that are entering a "Comey moment" in the wake of special counsel Robert Hur's report. Democrats who are having fever dreams about James Comey shouldn't resort to a full freakout over special counsel Robert Hur's blistering views of President Joe Biden's alleged declining memory. The biggest difference is that Comey made his initial comments in July 2016, months later in the political calendar. Comey also made his statements on camera, a distinction that matters when cable TV producers can cue up old footage months later. Unlike Comey, most of this is under Biden's control.

Persons: Robert Hur's, Comey, —, James Comey, Joe Biden's, Clinton, Biden, shouldn't, Dan Pfeiffer, Pfeiffer, Ian Sams, Beau, Hillary Clinton's, Nate Silver, Hur, Mueller, Paul Begala, Begala, Donald Trump, I'm Organizations: Service, Department, Democrat, CNN, Justice Department, GOP, Biden Locations: Egypt, Mexico

☆ Men benefit more from their looks at work than women do, new research shows
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Morgan Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

New research upends the trope that women use their looks to get ahead in their careers, showing that men actually reap greater benefits from being attractive in the workplace. A recent study of more than 11,000 Americans conducted over 20 years has found that good-looking men are more likely to attain better jobs and make more money than similarly attractive women. Alexi Gugushvili and Grzegorz Bulczak recorded participants' demographic information and socioeconomic status, then asked volunteers to rate the participants' physical attractiveness on a 4-point scale: Very attractive, attractive, unattractive, and very unattractive. Even with potential obstacles like coming from a low-income household or growing up in a dangerous neighborhood, attractive men still managed to achieve upward mobility. Good-looking women had a slight advantage in their careers over other women deemed less attractive, but men saw the greatest benefits from their physical appearance, according to the report.

Persons: Alexi Gugushvili, Grzegorz Bulczak, Bulczak, it's Organizations: University of Oslo, Polish Academy of Sciences, Adolescent Health

It was time, the witness said, to tell the whole truth about the awful things he had done. Moments before testifying this week at an inquiry into one of South Africa’s deadliest residential fires, he pulled an investigator aside and said he needed to change his story. He was the one, he said, who had started the Aug. 31 blaze that engulfed a five-story building in downtown Johannesburg. After that confession at the inquiry, Mr. Mdlalose was arrested by the police, who are running a parallel criminal investigation into the fire, and charged with 76 counts of murder. While Mr. Mdlalose’s confession at the inquiry is inadmissible, prosecutors said, his confession will bolster the criminal investigation.

Persons: Sithembiso Mdlalose, Mdlalose Locations: Johannesburg

☆ Opinion: We’ll finally get some answers from Iowa about Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

It is a feat former President Donald Trump is trying to duplicate this year. The first true test of Trump’s comeback occurs Monday in Iowa, where caucusgoers will venture into sub-zero temperatures to choose between Trump, Florida Gov. After months of speculation, we’ll finally get some answers to a few questions: Is there an opening for any Republican aside from Trump? Most of our contributors thought Haley won Wednesday’s CNN debate in Iowa against DeSantis, but Trump’s absence from the stage again loomed large. “Haley sounded like someone looking to take on the genuine article — the Republican frontrunner,” wrote W. James Antle III.

Persons: George Washington’s, Grover Cleveland, ”, Troy Senik, Donald Trump, Cleveland, “, —, Republican frontrunner’s, Cleveland didn’t, Benjamin Harrison —, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, we’ll, Will DeSantis, he’s, Haley, Wednesday’s, “ Haley, James Antle III, ’, ” Clay Jones, Chris Christie, Trump, ” Antle, who’s, Facebook Sophia, Nelson, “ Haley isn’t, Todd Graham, she’d, it’s, ” DeSantis, John Avlon, Laurence Tribe, Norman Eisen, Taylor Redd, Florence Pan, John Sauer, ” Bill Bramhall, Frida Ghitis, Ghitis, DeSantis, Julian Zelizer, Dean Obeidallah, Nikki Haley’s Lisa Benson, Peter Bergen, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, Biden, ” Walt Handelsman, Max, Drew Sheneman, Hassan Shahidi, Shahidi, Oprah, Oprah Winfrey, John Salangsang, Adrienne Bitar, WeightWatchers, couldn’t, Rose Blanchard, Sarah Gundle, Blanchard, Claudine ‘ Dee Dee ’ Blanchard, Gypsy Rose, ” Dee Dee, Gundle, Dee Dee Blanchard, Pope Francis, ” Jill Filipovic, Filipovic, Pope, ” Lloyd Austin’s, Lloyd Austin, Joe Biden, Austin, isn’t, Bill Bramhall, “ Oppenheimer, “ Barbie, “ Barbie ”, Gene Seymour, Oppenheimer, Emma Stone, ” Seymour, Don’t, Michael Bociurkiw, Ukraine Lanhee J, Chen, Noah Berlatsky, Belichick Bill Belichick, Vince Lombardi, Jeff Haynes, Bill Belichick, Will Leitch, Jeff Pearlman, Nick Saban, ” “ Belichick, Saban, ’ Pearlman, Lou Piniella, ‘ Organizations: CNN, University of Michigan, Cleveland, Republican, Trump, Trump , Florida Gov, Wednesday’s CNN, DeSantis, New, New Jersey Gov, Twitter, Facebook, Florida Gov, DC, Agency, Capitol, GOP, US, UK, Alaska Airlines, Boeing, Max, Portland International, Flight, Foundation, Golden Globe, Globes, Catholic, Biden, Warner Bros ., Academy, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Belichick, New England Patriots, Reliant, Patriots, Carolina Panthers, Getty, Super, Football, NFL, Minor League NFL, University of Alabama, Schlitz, Seattle Mariners Locations: Cleveland, Iowa, Trump , Florida, Trump, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Graham, Houthi, Yemen, Red, “, Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Bergen, Iran, Iraq, Iranian, Oregon, Beverly Hills , California, Ukraine, Houston , Texas, AFP, Swiss

☆ Talking to my friends every day made me realize I don't need marriage or kids to be happy
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Jillian Anthony | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

I'm single and child-free, and I'm closer than ever with four friends who are all married with kids — all thanks to an app. Meanwhile, my Marco Polo friends in California all got married and had kids by their mid-20s; they now have 10 children among them. Through Marco Polo, I got a long-distance yet close-up look at their lives. And, in some significant ways, my Marco Polo besties helped me get there. AdvertisementWe are closer than ever, and we still talk on Marco Polo every day.

Persons: Marco Polo, furrowed brows, it's, I've, They've, We've, Marco Polo besties, they've, Jillian Anthony Organizations: Service, University of San Locations: University of San Diego, New York City, California, Manhattan, Austin

☆ Best Podcasts of 2023: Amy Poehler, ‘Heavyweight,’ Willa Paskin
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Reggie Ugwu | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

As always, consider this list not an objective ranking but a kind of tip sheet — more Michelin Guide than the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Casual and avid podcast listeners alike should come away with a clear sense of what the medium can do. ‘Decoder Ring’Willa Paskin’s deep-dive investigations into questions you never thought to ask (Is Parmesan cheese “authentic” Italian? In its fifth year, “Decoder Ring” was as unpredictable (does parking infrastructure count as “culture”? (Listen to “Decoder” Ring from Slate.)

Persons: Phoebe Judge, Lauren Spohrer, Aretha Franklin, Willa Paskin’s, —, Mike Hixenbaugh, Antonia Hylton’s, “, Hylton Organizations: Michelin, —, Criminal, Vox, Slate, Christian, NBC News Locations: Italian, Yellowstone Park, Dallas, Hixenbaugh

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — With Planet Earth running a fever, U.N. climate talks focused Sunday on the contagious effects on human health. “Climate change doesn’t need to be on a death certificate for us to be confident that climate change is causing deaths,” Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum, WHO’s head of climate and health, said. Dubai, the largest city in oil-rich United Arab Emirates, often faces higher levels of air pollution than other places on Earth due to its location — and haze is common. The Dubai government, on its web site devoted to the environment, listed its Air Quality Index level mostly at “good” on Sunday. Switzerland-based IQAir, a technology company that sells air-quality monitoring products, listed Dubai as the city with the 18th-worst air quality in the world with “moderate” air quality levels as of noon local time on Sunday.

Persons: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, ”, —, Antonio Guterres, Guterres, John Kerry, ” Kerry, Vanessa, Tedros, Diarmid Campbell, ” Diarmid Campbell, Jon Gambrell, Peter Prengaman Organizations: United Arab Emirates, Health Organization, Conference, WHO, United, Associated Press, AP Locations: DUBAI, United Arab, Dubai, U.N, —, U.S, United Arab Emirates, Persian, Switzerland

☆ Puzzlingly massive planet found orbiting a small star
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The planet, about the mass of Neptune and more than 13 times as massive as Earth, was detected orbiting an ultracool M-dwarf star called LHS 3154 — which is nine times less massive than our sun. This graphic compares the sizes of our sun and Earth with the smaller, cooler LHS 3154 star and its orbiting planet, LHS 3154b. For example, small M dwarf stars are the most common throughout the Milky Way galaxy, and they typically have small, rocky planets orbiting them, rather than gas giant planets. “The planet-forming disk around the low-mass star LHS 3154 is not expected to have enough solid mass to make this planet,” Mahadevan said. A team of scientists led by Mahadevan built the HPF, which was designed to detect planets orbiting within the habitable zone of small, cool stars.

Persons: ”, Suvrath Mahadevan, Verne M, ” Mahadevan, Mahadevan, “, Megan Delamer, ” Delamer Organizations: CNN —, LHS, Penn, Penn State, McDonald Observatory Locations: Texas

The federal government is delaying a new rule that could make it easier for millions of workers to unionize after business groups challenged it in court. The National Labor Relations Board said Thursday that the rule — which was scheduled to go into effect in December — will now be effective Feb. 26. The rule sets new standards for determining when two companies should be considered “joint employers" in labor negotiations. But the new rule would expand that definition, saying companies may be considered joint employers if they have the ability to control — directly or indirectly — at least one condition of employment. But the NLRB says the current rule makes it too easy for companies to avoid their legal responsibility to bargain with workers.

Persons: McDonald's isn't, National Retail Federation —, Sen, Bill Cassidy, Cassidy, Democratic Sen, Joe Manchin, Joe Biden Organizations: National Labor Relations Board, Republican, U.S . Chamber of Commerce, American, Lodging Association, International Franchise Association, National Retail Federation, NLRB, U.S, Louisiana Republican, Health, Education, Labor, Pensions, Federal, Democratic, House Locations: —, Texas, Louisiana, West Virginia

Bowman, Lee, Omar and Tlaib also were among the 17 sponsors of Bush’s resolution asking the Biden administration to call for a ceasefire. Challenges to Bush and the others were possible even before the Hamas attack on Oct. 7 or Israel’s subsequent attack on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. It is unfortunate, Andrabi said, that the House Democratic leadership has not taken a stronger stance against AIPAC’s efforts to knock off rank-and-file Democrats. It remains unclear whether House Democrats will help incumbents fend off primary challengers through campaign fundraising arms. Before Oct. 7, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., issued statements of support for Omar and others, saying he will support the reelection of every House Democratic incumbent, regardless of ideology.

Persons: Cori Bush, Israel, Wesley Bell, Bush, Bush isn’t, Israel —, Bell, Summer Lee, Jamaal Bowman, Ilhan Omar, Rashida, Israel's staunchest, Omar, Bowman, Thanedar, Lee, Tlaib, Gaza . Bowman, Biden, Omar —, “, Democrats ’, Usamah Andrabi, Andrabi, Hakeem Jeffries, ” Tlaib, Israel Democrats ” —, Thanedar —, Detroit —, Sen, Adam Hollier —, Reconstructionists, ”, Daniel Fellman, Lee isn’t, ” Lee, Bhavini Patel, Lee doesn’t, Don Samuels, George Floyd, George Latimer, Latimer, Bush —, —, Darryl Gray, Louis, ” ___ Levy, Steve Karnowski, Joey Cappelletti, Anthony Izaguirre Organizations: LOUIS, Hamas, The Missouri Democrat, U.S, Senate, Democratic, Democrats, Israel, Democratic Party, Justice Democrats, American Israel Public Affairs Committee, “ Democratic, ”, House Democratic, Democratic Congressional, Palestinian American, Israel Democrats, Tlaib, Detroit, Conservative, Somali American, Westchester Locations: Israel, The Missouri, St, Louis, Pennsylvania, New York, Minnesota, Michigan, Detroit, Gaza ., Gaza, D, Detroit House, Dearborn, Southfield, Hollier, In Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh’s Temple, Minneapolis, Somali, Westchester County, Missouri, Iran, Harrisburg , Pennsylvania, Lansing , Michigan, Albany , New York

☆ Lauren Boebert upends her campaign strategy after the Beetlejuice scandal, apologizing to constituents and reaching out to local newspapers she'd previously criticized
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Rep. Lauren Boebert is shifting her campaign strategy as she faces another tough challenge in 2024. The change of heart comes after her close 2022 race and a Beetlejuice scandal that made national news. "Democrats certainly smell blood in the water," Boebert told the AP before a Lincoln Day Dinner in southwest Colorado. Frisch, her 2022 challenger, told MSNBC's Symone Sanders-Townsend that the Denver incident was "another notch in the belt of embarrassment." Next year, Boebert will also face several Republican primary challenges as she seeks a third term in office.

Persons: Lauren Boebert, —, Lauren Boebert's, Donald Trump, Boebert, Dave Williams, Boebert's, Democrat Adam Frisch, Frisch, Drew Sexton, MSNBC's Symone Sanders, Townsend, Jeff Hurd, Bill Owens Organizations: GOP, Service, Associated Press, Colorado Republican, Congressional, Republican, Democrat, AP, Denver, Grand Locations: Colorado, Washington, Denver, Archuleta County

☆ WTA roundup: Elise Mertens upends top seed to win in Tunisia
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Mertens, of Belgium, didn't drop a set all week on her way to her eighth career singles title. Jiangxi OpenKaterina Siniakova overcame three match points, seven double faults and a first-set thumping to defeat third-seeded Marie Bouzkova to win the all-Czech final 1-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4) in Nanchang, China. The match between the countrywomen lasted three hours, 33 minutes, making it the longest WTA final in 2023. Transylvania OpenTamara Korpatsch of Germany won her first career WTA title, defeating home-country favorite 6-3, 6-4 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. It was the first tour final for the 28-year-old Korpatsch, who needed one hour, 52 minutes to get the win.

Persons: Storm Hunter, Belgium's Elise Mertens, Canada's Gabriela Dabrowski, Erin Routliffe REUTERS, Henry, Elise Mertens, Jasmine Paolini, Mertens, Katerina Siniakova, Marie Bouzkova, Siniakova, Bouzkova, Tamara Korpatsch, Ruse, Korpatsch Organizations: Panamerican Tennis Center, Storm, Monastir, Jiangxi, WTA, Germany, Ruse, Thomson Locations: Guadalajara, Mexico, Jasmin, Italy, Tunisia, Belgium, Nanchang, China, Cluj, Napoca, Romania

☆ Amazon River falls to lowest level in 121 years amid a severe drought
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

That is the lowest level since records began in 121 years ago in 1902, passing a previous all-time low set in 2010. After months without rain, rainforest villager Pedro Mendonca was relieved when a Brazilian NGO delivered supplies to his riverside community near Manaus late last week. “It is much hotter than past droughts.”Boats and houseboats stranded in a dry area of the Igarape do Taruma stream which flows into the Rio Negro river in Brazil's Amazon rainforest, Oct 16, 2023. The drought has threatened their access to food, drinking water and medicines, which are usually transported by river. A ruler that measures historical river water levels at the Rio Negro river in Manaus, Brazil, Oct 16, 2023.

Persons: Pedro Mendonca, ”, Mendonca, Santa Helena do, Bruno Kelly, Sustentável, Nelson Mendonca, Santa Helena do Ingles, Luciana Valentin Organizations: Reuters, Rio Negro, Brazil’s Science Ministry, Fundação Locations: Reuters — Rivers, Brazil, Manaus, Brazilian, Santa Helena, Santa Helena do Ingles, Amazonas, Rio Negro, El, parched

☆ An 11,000-year-old statue of a man holding his penis could reveal secrets about a mysterious Neolithic culture
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

A 7.5-foot-tall statue of a man clutching his penis with both hands was uncovered in an ancient site. AdvertisementAdvertisementArchaeologists have uncovered an 11,000-year-old statue of a man clutching his penis — a discovery that could shed new light on a mysterious Neolithic culture. The Urfa man, a 6.2-foot-tall statue of a man seeming to protect his erect penis with both hands, was notably found nearby. Urfa man, also known as the Balikligol statue, is shown in at Archeology Museum in Sanliurfa on February 22, 2023. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe statue guards its mysterious meaningIt's not clear what the statue was meant to represent and how it fits within this mysterious Neolithic culture.

Persons: —, OZAN KOSE, Necmi Karul, Karahan, Gobekli, Esber, Sean Thomas, Thomas, Karul, Benjamin Arbuckle, Klaus Schmidt, Schmidt, Lee Clare, Clare, Ted Banning, Banning, Arbuckle Organizations: Service, Getty, Istanbul University, Agence France Presse, UNESCO, Archeology Museum, Anadolu Agency, The Spectator, AFP, University of North, Chapel, Smithsonian Magazine, Archaeological Institute, BBC, University of Toronto Locations: Karahan Tepe, Turkey, Karahantepe, Sanliurfa, AFP, Syria, Turkiye, Asia, University of North Carolina, Gobekli Tepe, Karahan, Gobekli

☆ Biden has 'tough questions' for Netanyahu, Gaza strike upends Israel trip
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Steve Holland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

After his meetings in Israel, Biden had planned to travel to Jordan for meetings with Arab leaders, but that stop was canceled after the strike on the hospital which Palestinian officials blamed on Israel and Israel blamed on the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group. "He'll be asking some tough questions, he'll be asking them as a friend, as a true friend of Israel, but he'll be asking some questions of them," Kirby said. Kirby declined to specify the nature of the questions Biden intended to ask beyond "what their plans are going forward." [1/4]U.S. President Joe Biden walks as he departs Joint Base Andrews for a high-stakes visit to Israel, in Maryland, U.S., October 17, 2023. It was unclear what he could accomplish in the wake of the hospital strike, conflicting reports about responsibility, and the cancellation of the summit in Jordan.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Netanyahu, John Kirby, he'll, Kirby, Base Andrews, Evelyn Hockstein, Richard Gowan, U.N, ” Biden, Jordan's King Abdullah, Abdel Fattah al, Mahmoud Abbas, Abbas, Rashida Tlaib, Steve Holland, Michelle Nichols, Matt Spetalnick, Jeff Mason, Cynthia Osterman, Stephen Coates Organizations: AIR FORCE ONE, Islamic, Air Force, Base, REUTERS, Washington, Crisis, Israeli, U.S, American, Palestinian, Democrat, Council, Islamic Relations, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Jordan, Tel Aviv, United States, Maryland, U.S, Amman, Egypt

☆ Gaza hospital strike upends Biden's high-stakes trip to Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] U.S. President Joe Biden walks as he departs Joint Base Andrews for a high-stakes visit to Israel, in Maryland, U.S., October 17, 2023. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 17 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden's already fraught trip to the Middle East was completely upended after hundreds of Palestinians were killed in a strike on a Gaza hospital on Tuesday. After the strike, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas quickly canceled a planned meeting with Biden, then Jordan's King Abdullah canceled a summit that was supposed to bring Biden together with Egyptian and Palestinian leaders. It was unclear what he could accomplish in the wake of the hospital strike, conflicting reports about responsibility, and the cancellation of the summit in Jordan. "Biden's visit was meant to underline that the U.S. has a grip on the situation.

Persons: Joe Biden, Base Andrews, Evelyn Hockstein, Joe Biden's, Mahmoud Abbas, Biden, King Abdullah, Richard Gowan, U.N, ” Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Jordan's King Abdullah, Abdel Fattah al, Abbas, Rashida Tlaib, Steve Holland, Michelle Nichols, Matt Spetalnick, Heather Timmons, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Base, REUTERS, Rights, White, Washington, Crisis, Israeli, U.S, American, Democrat, Palestinian, Council, Islamic Relations, Thomson Locations: Israel, Maryland, U.S, East, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Jordan, Jordanian, Amman, Egypt

☆ Polish Election Upends Right-Wing Ruling Party
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Thomas Grove | Karolina Jeznach | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/poles-are-voting-in-what-could-be-europes-biggest-election-this-year-38ca71a9

Persons: Dow Jones, 38ca71a9

REUTERS/Bruno Kelly Acquire Licensing RightsMANAUS, Brazil, Oct 16 (Reuters) - The Amazon River fell to its lowest level in over a century on Monday at the heart of the Brazilian rainforest as a record drought upends the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and damages the jungle ecosystem. Rapidly drying tributaries to the mighty Amazon have left boats stranded, cutting off food and water supplies to remote villages, while high water temperatures are suspected of killing more than 100 endangered river dolphins. That is the lowest level since records began in 1902, passing a previous all-time low set in 2010. After months without rain, rainforest villager Pedro Mendonca was relieved when a Brazilian NGO delivered supplies to his riverside community near Manaus late last week. The drought has threatened their access to food, drinking water and medicines, which are usually transported by river.

Persons: Bruno Kelly, Pedro Mendonca, Mendonca, Santa Helena do, Nelson Mendonca, Santa Helena do Ingles, Luciana Valentin, Jake Spring, Gabriel Stargardter, Steven Grattan, Marguerita Choy, Sandra Maler Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Rio Negro, Brazil's Science Ministry, El, Fundacao Amazonia Sustentavel, Sao Paulo, Thomson Locations: Rio Negro, Manaus, Brazil, Rights MANAUS, Brazilian, Santa Helena, Santa Helena do Ingles, Amazonas, parched, Sao

☆ Polish Stocks, Currency Jump After Election Upends Ruling Party
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Poland's currency and stock market rallied after exit polls put opposition parties on track for a parliamentary majority, potentially leading to an improvement in troubled relations with the European Union. The opposition Civic Platform under Donald Tusk won 31% of the vote, an Ipsos poll showed. Tusk, a centrist former prime minister who then led the European Council, has pledged to improve ties with the EU.

Persons: Donald Tusk, Tusk Organizations: European Union, European Council, EU

Then came the Hamas attack against Israel, which has made Netanyahu’s late October trip uncertain and put Beijing's Middle East approach to the test. China’s stated neutrality on the war has upset Israel, but Beijing may gain in the long run by forging closer ties with Arab countries, experts said. “For a while at least, Beijing’s Middle East policy is paralyzed by the war,” said Shi Yinhong, professor of international relations at Beijing-based Renmin University of China. “China’s engagement in the Middle East is set to increase during this conflict. Because we need to be the bridge.”But China's proposals to end the war have been seen as benefiting Russia.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Benjamin Netanyahu, China’s, Israel, ”, Shi Yinhong, hasn't, Zhai Jun, Zhai, ” Wang Yi, ” Wang, Antony Blinken, Wang, Maria Papageorgiou, Mohammad Eslami, “, Tuvia, ” Gering, Wang Yiwei, Dale Aluf, China's, Aluf, Yaqiu Wang, Ken Moritsugu, Wanqing Chen, Matthew Lee Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Renmin University of China, State Department, Hezbollah, University of Exeter, University Minho, Israel, China Policy Center, Institute for National Security, Kremlin, Renmin University, Israel Global Network, Freedom, Associated Press, AP Locations: Beijing, China, Israel, U.S, Iran, Tel Aviv, Palestine, Ukraine, Xinjiang, Xi, Saudi Arabia, United States, Russia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Communist, Riyadh

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